The Nature of Oaks
Ratings4
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings4
Average rating4.5
“A timely and much needed call to plant, protect, and delight in these diverse, life-giving giants.” —David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he is turning his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.
Reviews with the most likes.
Fascinating And Easy Read. This is one of those esoteric books that you didn't know you wanted to read that turns out to be utterly fascinating... at least if you're remotely interested in caterpillars and similar insects. The narrative structure takes on each month of the year, beginning in October, and looks at what is happening within, on, under, and around an oak tree within that month - and there is quite a bit more than most probably realize. Written by an academic who studies oaks and with a particular emphasis on what he sees in the oaks within his own yard, this book is remarkably approachable and I daresay even funny - which is rare for such an academic tome. But that seems to have been at least part of the author's goal - to write a tale for the rest of us showing just why these trees are so important and the rich biodiversity they support. This is a goal the author pulled off remarkably well, and this book is very much recommended.
The Nature of Oaks is (literally) everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about the humble oak tree in America.
